Corn-huskeb



S. N. GRAGG.

Corn Husker. I Y

No. 245628. Patented July 5, 1859.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

S. N. GRAGG, OF SHELBURNE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS.

CORN-HUSKER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 24.628, dated July 5, 1859.

T o all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, S. N. GRAGG, of Shelburne Falls, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Corn-Husking Machine, of which the following a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the inachine; Fig. 2, detail to be referred to hereafter.

The object of lny present invention is to construct a cheap, simple and efficient machine for husking corn; and that others skilled in the art may understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried out the saine.

In the said drawings A is a bench, to one end of which is connected a seat B on which the operator sits. Two legs a beneath the seat and one leg at the opposite end of the bench serve as supports to it. A bifurcated lever C which terminates at its lower end in a foot piece or treadle d is pivoted at c to the bench. which it embraces, one portion of the lever passing up on each side. A bolt or slide D is placed on top of the bench A and is held in place by two straps f which pass over the bolt and are screwed fast to each side of the bench at e, so that the bolt may slide back and forth beneath the straps. The leg b is continued up a little above the top of the bench, and serves as a stop against which the bolt D is drawn back by a spring g secured to the leg b, and connected at its upper end to the bolt by a cord z. The lever C at its upper end is connected with the bolt D by a pin z' passing through a slot in the bolt, so that when the foot of the operator is pressed on the treadle d the bolt may be forced forward in the direction of its arrow. A pointed sharp edged knife blade is lsecured in the end of the bolt D.

The bench A is formed of a heavy plank set up edgewise, the seat B being connected with the lower edge of it by a stout bar Z. The upper edge of the bench will be sufficiently high above the seat to bring the knife into a convenient position for the operator. A curved block or rest E shown detached in Fig. 2 is secured to the front of the bench A.

The operation of this machine is as follows: The person using it sits on the seat B with the ears of corn to be husked )laced in a convenient position alongside o him. Placing his foot on the treadle d he grasps the ear of corn with one hand on the stalk or stem (fm Fig. 2) and the other on the point of the ear. He thus holds the ear against the curved edge of the rest E, with t-he part of the stem next to the butt of the ear (where it is desired to have it cut off) opposite to the point of the knife 1, and by pressing with his footon the treadle d, he drives the bolt D in the direction of its ar row, and forces the knife 7c, through the husk and stem, separating the ear from its stem, when by bending the ear around the curved rest E as shown in Fig. 2 the butt of the ear is projected out of its husk, and the ear may be thrown asideseparate from its husk.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The curved, or convex rest E in combina tion with the reciprocating knife 7c arranged and operating as described for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

S. N. GRAGG.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR MAXWELL, J. N. PORTER, JAS. M. MCKNIGHT. 

